Recruiting - Help needed

[z3elda]

A few of us are taking on the challenge of recruiting new people to participate in our events, and hopefully become members.

One of the ways we're doing this is by attending Car Shows/Meets/Cruises. Today's Cars-n-Coffee Charlotte was more-or-less the first time we had a CCR-SCCA crew on-site with full magnets/numbers.. There are a few other events I hope we can get involved with on a semi-regular basis.

I'd like to see us really step up our presence, but to do that, we need a few things. Rather then just ask the BOD to spend money, I thought I'd put it out to the membership to see if maybe ya'll might be willing to help.

We want to hand out information at these things - Cards, event flyers, etc. We'd also like to show some video footage from our events and maybe display some photos.

To do that, we'd like to have:

1) a small folding table.. maybe half the size of a card/game table. Something to display stuff on. Has to be small..

2) a portable rechargable DVD player with a 8-9" screen - nothing fancy.

3) Please donate your old "Sports Car" Magazines for us to give away at these meets. (dated in the last year) Every member gets these, and I'll bet most of them end up in the recycling bin. We can use them as recruiting tools.

4) I'm looking for a couple of younger members who are more in touch with the import scene to attend some weeknight meets in the Charlotte Area.

5) Road Racers and Time Trialers: Please consider bringing your race cars to Charlotte Cars-n-Coffee. I'm not asking any one to come every month (and once racing season starts, we're all going to miss a few for sure).. It requires an early AM arrival so you can off-load in an empty parking lot, and likely an early afternoon load-up after people clear out..

6) We'll post reminders about upcoming events - Please consider coming out to one of these events to help out!

I'd also love to hear any other related ideas you might have.

Thanks!

[CoolGuy094]

I will absolutely attend any shows/events we organize (with the exception of yesterday; helped my friend move). I think its one of the best ways to reach out to those who don't know about the sport but would really be interested once they learn about us. I don't have #1 or #2, but I'll gather all my mags for #3. I will be sure to post events more regularly and consistently this year on all other forums of which I am a member, in relation to #4. Don't know about weeknight meets, haha. I may be young but I am old at heart and typically in bed by 9:30 on weeknights, hahaha.

[z3elda]

Thanks Andy! I have a similar problem with weeknights.. not that I have a problem staying up - it's that I'm frequently working late - by the time I got there - people would be going home already.

There's a good sized group that meets every Thursday at the Buffalo Wild Wings on Sardis Road in Matthews - on Facebook, the guy organizing it is named "Charlotte Cruise-ins".

I believe there's a regular Cruise at Sonic in Concord as well, but I forget which night.

Please - if you know of any large car-centered gatherings, please post or PM me.

[z3elda]

I should also say that I'd love to see someone(s) take up the same challenge in the Greenville area.. There's a cars-n-coffee there as well - but always on the same day as Charlottes event.

I know it's a harder nut to crack because of the distance to most CCR events, but it'd be worth a try.

[srduck]

Greenville is still in CCR territory, I believe... and we have events down in that area at Michelin and BMW Center. Ted is really active down there, I know... so he might be able to bring out Elvira or the Jedi to C&C at some point. And last year, Per Olaf brought out his Mini Challenge car before the Chasing the Dragon hillclimb to help try to promote it

I'll round up my old copies of Sportscar and anything else I can find. At the next event, I'll try to remember to bring my laptop and dump video off of anybody's GoPro that will allow me to so I can edit some stuff together to show off. I MIGHT have an old portable DVD player around here somewhere, but it's going to take some scrounging to find it. The wife commandeered it and I haven't seen it in quite a while. The table... uhh... I don't think I'm going to be able to do much there based on the cargo capacity of my Miata

I'm also going to miss next months because I should be down in Savannah flagging a race at Roebling Road. Racing season colliding with Cars & Coffee is starting early this year

[z3elda]

Thanks Steven - Sports car is the main mag.. since its SCCA's publication.

I saw a small table at Target today. If nothing else comes available, I'll get that. Room in the car is my problem as well.. Thats why I wrote: "has to be small"

I'll be collecting some video from various sources to put into a 30-40 minute video. I'd like to get Autocross, Time trial, Hillclimb and Road Race footage from CCR members.

[lagunamiata]

We could always call SCCA and see if we could get some back issues.

[z3elda]

Jan 8, 2012 20:30:01 GMT -5 lagunamiata said:

We could always call SCCA and see if we could get some back issues.

Yes please! We'll use 'em at the Autofairs at least...

[pistonwheels]

If you are taking on the task of helping recruit new people - for which I applaud & thank you - please consider having Steve Eckerich contact the SCCA HQ and give them your name and contact info. (Please check who on the BoD might be covering this as well, not to tread on anyone's toes).

There are various things that national office has that can help. For example, when someone from within contacts SCCA but doesn't know what region, if its in "our" boundaries their contact info can be made available.

There are also "Introduction to SCCA" booklets that are (at least were) free to the Region - just need Steve to order. They may also have "First Gear" marketing information.

The club has sometimes put the region's schedule on small magnetic decals. These were great to hand-out to people.

One of the questions you will get asked most from an interested possible participant is "What do I have to do to my car to..autox/hill climb/race" so if you have something with the answer to that it'll help. There was a thread with that info on it "somewhere" on this site a few years ago...

The other question is "how much" so if you have info about the various ways one can "earn" free membership, that might help garner interest.

Good Luck,
Martin.

[Steve Eckerich]

Martin is correct, and I also have a promotional SCCA DVD that you can play. I will bring it to the annual meeting and get with you so you can work with the national office.

[srduck]

Jan 9, 2012 11:06:43 GMT -5 pistonwheels said:

One of the questions you will get asked most from an interested possible participant is "What do I have to do to my car to..autox/hill climb/race" so if you have something with the answer to that it'll help. There was a thread with that info on it "somewhere" on this site a few years ago...

I've answered the question for a few friends with regards to AutoX. "Lugs tight, working brakes, working throttle return, working seatbelt, battery tied down, a helmet to protect your head and something in that head worth protecting." AutoX requirements are easy if someone's goal is to come out and have fun. If people want to be competitive... well... they have to get past the "come out and drive" bit first.

Where I'm fuzzy is the requirements for TT/Hillclimb and even HPDE. Ted has an awesome article about how to get started in Hillclimb, but I'm still not 100% on things like how to get a logbook, required inspections, safety standards for cages/rollbars etc. More info on that would be awesome.

Steve: I'm pretty sure Eric is leaving for Germany today or tomorrow so he won't be there for the banquet. I'll get the DVD from you this weekend and figure out some way to get it to him before the February Cars & Coffee.

Thanks for your help, guys

[z3elda]

I'll take all of that info and Please, Please! order a reasonable quantity of the above mentioned stuff - the more prepared we are to answer questions, the better. I know James Farris is interested in recruiting and retention as well, and we've talked some already in - I'll work closely with him

I won't be able to make the Annual Meeting - I'm leaving this evening for Germany.. 3 weeks for work.. I'll be in touch - just not in the country.

I guess I volunteered to be the Membership chair as well.. So, whatever you all have to do to make that official, please do.

Steve - I will PM you shortly with my contact information.

And thanks Steven Duckworth - for sharing the passion for growing the club.

[Donutz]

I'm down to help with this as well. I have a ton of the cards left over from the autofair last year (...two years ago actually lol). I'll start seeing you guys out at cars and coffee (I'm gonna start going to the Greensboro ones too once they start up, though that's more Triad territory), and will try and get more youth out (though certainly no promises lol).

[z3elda]

Jan 9, 2012 22:15:07 GMT -5 Donutz said:

I'm down to help with this as well. I have a ton of the cards left over from the autofair last year (...two years ago actually lol). I'll start seeing you guys out at cars and coffee (I'm gonna start going to the Greensboro ones too once they start up, though that's more Triad territory), and will try and get more youth out (though certainly no promises lol).

Thanks Josh!